The Swedish julbord is an extensive spread that has evolved from a variety of traditions and today consists of an elaborate buffet of typical Christmas food. It is popular not only to sit down for a julbord on Christmas Eve with family, but also to go out for a special julbord meal at a restaurant in the run-up to Christmas – with family, friends or colleagues. See here for the low-down on the Swedish julbord.
All prices listed are per person, unless otherwise stated.
Traditional julbord:
These julbord are some of the most traditional you can get. With a focus on good quality meat and fish, they cater to those with no special requirements – although they may be able to accommodate special diets with advance notice.
Staffantorps Gästis has an impressive selection of herring – with a herring buffet based on the Scanian Herring Academy's original recipes. Visitors to this julbord can also enjoy game, hams, cheese and salmon, alongside julbord classics like meatballs and prinskorv sausages. There's an excellent spread of cold cuts, and it's generally a meat-heavy julbord. Having said that, they do have vegetarian options (access to the julbord alongside an extra vegetarian main course), as well as a set 3 course menu for vegans.
When: Available between November 21st and December 24th.
Price: 585 kronor for lunch on weekdays. 765 kronor for Thursday nights and 835 kronor on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Kids under 13 pay 35 kronor per year of age.
Årstiderna's traditional julbord is served by candlelight in their 500-year-old building in the centre of Malmö.
Their julbord is a bit different. You can opt for Christmas plates (one of cold cuts and herring, followed by a hot main course and a dessert) at lunchtime Monday-Wednesday, or a sharing-style julbord served at the table on Monday-Tuesday in the evening.
If you want a proper buffet-style julbord, make sure to book on Thursday or Friday at lunchtime, or on Wednesday-Friday at dinner time.
There will also be a takeaway option available, bookable via the restaurant's online shop.
When: November 27th to December 21st
Price: Christmas plate: 495 kronor. Lunchtime julbord: 595 kronor. Sharing menu or evening julbord: 850 kronor.
No julbord is complete without the traditional Christmas ham. Photo: Helena Wahlman/imagebank.sweden.seKatrinetorps Landeri in Svågertorp is home to foodie-favourite restaurant Gourmetgården.
Their julbord offers four types of homemade herring, salmon, pork roulades, Christmas ham, Jansson's temptation, beer-glazed ribs and a Christmas sweet buffet to finish.
Crucially, you have to book in advance, and there are only two dates available: Wednesday December 10th and Wednesday December 17th.
Gourmetgården also offers a catered julbord option for large groups – ideal for a work do. Make sure to book in advance.
When: Wednesday December 10th and Wednesday December 17th, from 5pm-10pm
Price: 595 kronor.
A classic for the city, Grand Deli in Lund is offering a buffet julbord in the hotel's dining room featuring meat, fish and vegetables from Scanian producers.
In previous years, Grand's julbord has featured their own meatballs and mustard herring, gravad lax and hot smoked salmon from Vallåkra smokery, south of Helsingborg, prinskorv sausages from Hässleholm in northern Skåne, and smoked onion sausage from Tollarp in northeast Skåne.
You can also buy a julbord to-go for 525 kronor per person, or a smaller three-course Christmas menu for 475 kronor per person.
When: Available from November 21st - December 24th.
Price: Lunch Monday-Friday: 695 kronor. Evenings and weekends: 995 kronor. Christmas Eve: 1395 kronor. Children between 3 and 12 pay 595 kronor regardless of age.
Many of the places on this list make their own pickled herring. Photo: OTW/imagebank.sweden.seRådhuskällaren is another restaurant known for its meaty dishes – with Swedish classics like wallenbergare (breadcrumbed calf patties served with butter) often featuring on their menus.
Their traditional julbord is no different – all the classic warm and cold dishes you would expect, as well as a dessert buffet, served in their restaurant situated in the cellar of Malmö's town hall.
They also offer a vegan menu which needs to be ordered in advance.
When: November 20th-December 22nd. Also served at lunchtime from December 1st.
Price: Lunch: 495 kronor. Tuesday-Saturday evenings, 675 kronor. All other evenings as well as Sundays, 595 kronor.
Vegetarian and vegan-friendly:
The above restaurants may offer vegetarian options if you ask, but we know that the ones below offer great vegetarian and vegan options, alongside the more traditional meat and fish dishes. Good choices if not everyone in your party eats meat.
Jansson's temptation, a dish made using cream and sprats, is usually off-limits for vegetarians and vegans – but there are some places where they can enjoy this Christmas treat. Photo: OTW/imagebank.sweden.seAnita's på Börringekloster is known for its buffets, and its julbord is no exception. It offers everything you could want, including meatballs, Jansson's temptation, herring, cheese and Christmas ham, alongside a number of vegetarian dishes.
If you'd like a completely vegan option, Anita's also offers a vegan julbord for one day only, with vegan versions of traditional herring and meat dishes.
When and price:
Julbord buffet: Weekends from November 29th, 449 kronor
Vegan julbord: December 6th. 450 kronor at lunchtime or 525 kronor in the evening.
Vessel in Limhamn in the impressive Havshotellet building by the seafront offers traditional meaty dishes like Christmas ham, meatballs and their own smoked salmon, as well as a completely plant-based option for veggie and vegan guests.
If that's not all, they also offer a gottebord filled with sweets and treats to round off the meal.
When? November 25th - December 20th
Price: Between 495 and 895 kronor per person depending on day and time
Ängavallen organic farm in Vellinge has a julbord featuring the best of their produce – both meat and vegetables. Photo: Conny Fridh/imagebank.sweden.se
Organic farm Ängavallen in Vellinge, south of Malmö, may be known for their meat, but their julbord also has some vegetarian offerings. Most of the ingredients for their julbord are sourced from their own farm, with a focus on animal health and welfare, stress-free slaughter and meat without antibiotics.
Their julbord is, unsurprisingly, very meaty, with patés, hams, terrines and ribs served alongside organic pickled herring, smoked, salted and cured salmon. They also have a vegetarian julbord option (with their own homemade tempeh, among other things) and a pescaterian option, which is unsurprisingly very salmon and herring-heavy.
Organic glögg (Swedish mulled wine), coffee and an appetiser upon arrival are included in the price.
When: November 28th-December 21st.
Price: 895 kronor for adults. Half price for children aged 4-12, children under 4 only pay for drinks. All children receive a goodie-bag of sweets.
Booking essential. Make sure to let them know if you want a veggie or pescetarian option.
Some restaurants will offer glögg before your meal. Photo: Helena Wahlman/imagebank.sweden.seMonastery Bosjökloster in Höör is, admittedly, not particularly close to Malmö. It takes around 40 minutes to drive there from Malmö, or just over an hour via public transport – so this is definitely more of a day-trip option.
This julbord, described as a julbordsupplevelse or "julbord experience", offers visitors the chance to start their evening with a glögg by the fire in the castle, while listening to stories (in Swedish) from Bosjökloster's history. Attendees will then walk through candlelit hallways through to a seasonally-decorated hall, where a julbord based on home-made dishes as well as products from local producers will be served.
Vegans, vegetarians and pescetarians can also enjoy this julbord – just remember to include this information in your booking.
When: From 28th November to 21st December (not all days, so check carefully). Some days were already fully booked at time of writing.
Price: Daytime on weekdays: 725 kronor. Smaller julbord option during the day: 425 kronor. Evenings and weekends: 795 kronor. Children pay 50 kronor per year of age (or 35 kronor per year if opting for the smaller julbord option).
Glögg and stories by the fire: 40kr extra.
Even further away from Malmö, House of Ven situated on the island of Ven in the Öresund strait between Sweden and Denmark is offering a one-of-a-kind julbord this year.
This julbord will most likely require an overnight stay either on the island or in nearby Landskrona, and the food on offer will be a four course meal served at the table with all the traditional classics and a range of vegetarian dishes.
When: December 4th-22nd
Price: Standard julbord, 895 kronor. Julbord including overnight stay and breakfast, from 1990 kronor per person sharing a double room.
Comments